Two Halves Make A Whole
by AverageCrazyChic
Summary: "My name is Brandon Stark." " Uhm, what?" Maddie blinked, dumbfounded, "Do you actually think I'm going to believe that you're Brandon Stark? As in -HBO-GOT- Brandon Stark?" Bran didn't know what to make of this strange girl in strange clothes. A story of two halves of a soul in alternate universe jumping across to meet one another. Only...It's entirely unintentional. S1-S8
1. Chapter 1: I Have Seen You

Some think spiders, serial killers, needles and scorpions are reasonable fears to have in one's lifetime.

Others think the one thing that should be feared is death.

Guestimating, about 34% of the World's population only fear death. The other 66% fear the living- or so Maddie's school guidance counselor assumed.

If the old crone's words were ever to be taken as truth, Madison would be included in that tiny 34%.

She only feared death, or so she told herself.

So, when she found herself facing an incoming eighteen wheeler, she screamed and cried like a banshee.

How had she reached here again? She couldn't remember.

Now, she only wished she stayed in with Ms. Higg and taken the drive she offered.

And then it hit. Literally.

Her body was flung a few feet ahead on the road, the terrified driver already pulling the break.

But Madison was already gone, the impact cracked her skull on impact. And if that hadn't killed her for sure, before the truck could fully stop it was on her - over her. Crushing her.

She didn't even have time for a flash back of her old life.

Not even one last thought. Her mind had been blank.

Her body, mutilated and crushed beyond recognition lay on the wet tarmac. Minutes later, her family would be calling her on the phone that lay destroyed in her back pocket, searching for her. Wondering why she left her friends behind in that stupid booth.

Days later, doctors and forensic scientists would come to the conclusion that Madison Bernard was the mutilated girl that was crushed by a timber truck in a freak accident. The poor girl of fourteen years that died before she could truly live.

Years later, her family would still grieve over the loss and need counseling and the town in which she lived- a constant reminder of road safety.

But then, right as she was hit- she felt a lightness, heard a grotesque crack and then felt a shock of electricity run through her body.

She felt light for the first time in her life. Floaty, airy and happy - peaceful.

The air or the environment rather was calm, soothing as though a summers breeze was passing through, but she felt no heat and no breeze against her skin.

For the first time in a long time, she recognized she was calm.

There was no raging war in her mind.

And then like a spite, she felt something tug on her navel and pull her back down a tight tube.

If felt familiar, and her body was no longer weightless. Gravity latched onto her being like an anchor as she felt harsh breeze nipping at her skin .

Through tiny slits, she was able to catch a glimpse of the pretty blue sky before white. It engulfed her being, and was incredibly wet.

And then suddenly, she was on the ground and coughing up blood.

She moaned as she laid there, useless and paralyzed- like her body was still coming to terms with the fact that she wasn't airborne anymore.

Her fingers flexed as she felt something cold and...mushy under her palm.

A few seconds later and it was wet, for a panicked second she thought it was her blood but relaxed when she did a mental check of her body. There was no pain.

She groaned as she pushed herself up, feeling drowsy and incredibly nauseous and dizzy.

Her curls gently blew in her face, caressing her flushed cheeks.

Madison could barely see in front of her, everything was blurry.

But from what she could see so far, everything was white and cold.

And she had no idea where she was...At all.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared to stand as she gathered her last remaining strength.

She was suddenly very thankful for the knitted sweater she pulled on before she left home. It was almost as though someone threw her inside a deep freezer.

Getting to her unstable feet, she bent over half way to gasp for air she had no idea she was missing.

Her hands rested on her knee caps for a moment before she straightened.

Looking around blindly, she caught sight of a huge tree like -or what she thought was a tree- shape with red leaves. Or something...

She'd never seen a tree like that before.

Oregon didn't have trees like that at all.

A figure moved over from the tree, catching Maddie's eye as she blinked furiously to get a clear view of the thing headed her way.

It was big, that much was certain, hulking but moving at a slow steady jog.

Yet as it came closer, she felt nothing but safety.

She took an unsure step back and stumbled to the ground, smacking her head on a rock in the process and knocking herself unconscious.

Her last thought was: 'Help'

**Maddie's POV**

You are probably wondering what they heck you're reading.

I would too, I don't blame you.

This all started when I just turned fourteen, back when I was alive in the real world.

I went to sleep the night of my birthday and...well, to put it simply- warged.

I don't know how but I did.

That night was the night I met Brandon Stark, Ned Stark's - The Late Warden Of Winterfell- son.

His shoulder length brown hair and impressionable features were something that I would never forget. And his brown eyes, that looked like he was searching your soul, seared my very being from the moment that they met mine. He was cute, very cute.

I knew that nothing would ever be the same again after that.

Not ever.


	2. Chapter 2: Before This

**1 Year Ago.**

Isolation: (n.) To be placed apart or left alone.

That was the one thing Madison wanted in that moment. After what today was, she assumed she could isolate herself.

That was her wish when she blew out the multicolored candles shaped into the numbers '14'. So why couldn't it come true? She was still surrounded by her so called 'friends' her mother had invited over to celebrate. Really, it was practically every kid from her school minus the middle aged teachers.

And she _hated_ them.

The kids, that is. She could care less about her teachers and what they did.

How her mother thought that having _these people_ over had been a good idea, was beyond her comprehension. They hated her just the same. But still they came, if only for the thought of a party and quite possibly robbing Madison's father's stash of whiskey and Jack Daniels.

How _they _knew about that too, was beyond her.

So she sat, in her bathroom with the door locked as a precaution for any intruders ( read horny underage teens ), nursing her cup of coke in a cliché red Solo cup reserved for parties while counting the seconds till the clock struck twelve and _those people _could leave her house.

She shuddered thinking about what her next birthday would be like, if she had it her way, no one would see her until the day after. But she didn't/wouldn't and her overbearing mother would again, push her into doing something she wouldn't want to do.

Sighing as the door handle rattled for the twelfth time, she laid in her bathtub after setting her drink on the side. She pretended she could hear the clock gears and hands ticking instead of the loud, annoying pop music blaring from the speakers downstairs. It was better, more soothing to imagine the clock sounds. Her eyelids drooped down, her one thought wishing herself a happy birthday before she dozed off into dreamworld.

A dream world where everything was white- like snow- and no one was around. She dreamt about old castles made from cobblestone and the snow falling gently on to the ground. She'd never seen snow before, but she wanted to. She imagined old parchment and libraries with tons of books, bedrooms with fire places and no electricity. Where it was calm. Quiet.

She basked in her dream, her mind vaguely questioning why real life couldn't be this simple. Why did it have to be so hard? Tortuous? Filled with evil and hatred? She didn't know, she didn't want to think about it. She only wanted to bask in the isolation. And then suddenly, she felt like she wasn't alone anymore.

Opening her eyes, she wasn't faced with her peach painted bathroom walls or her cheap, pink and slightly rusting bath tub- no, she was faced with her dream world.

And a boy.

He hadn't seemed to notice her yet and walked passed and closer to the castle- _her_ dream castle. He was carrying a bow and a bunch of arrows, dressed in what she assumed was the clothing people in this -the castles and the lack of electricity- time era wore. His hair was barely touching his shoulders as he walked on, oblivious to her presence. His features were even and handsome, looking around her own age. Deciding he was getting too close to her mind's creation, she butted in.

Madison cleared her throat, "Excuse me," The boy jumped about a foot in the air before turning around to face her, nocking an arrow. Maddie was surprised but continued on (after all, this was a dream), "What are you doing here? Who are you?"

The boy frowned and lowered his weapon, "Who are you?" He inquired instead of answering. Maddie rolled her eyes, she hated when someone answered a question with a question. This cute boy was no exception.

"I asked you first." Madison rebutted, her chin raising in challenge.

The boy pursed his lips before placing his arrow back in the holder and walking over to her. He obviously thought she wasn't a threat. And she had no idea why she was dreaming about him. She'd never seen him before, so how had her mind come up with such a clear image of this boy?

"This is my dream, I can control it. Now, who are you?" He stated clearly, his brows furrowed.

Madison's eyebrows rose at his statement. His dream? Nuh uh- try again. She shook her head, "Eh, wrong!" Making the buzzer sound had always been her thing but the boy looked surprised at it.

Why was he surprised? Wasn't he a figment of her imagination? Wouldn't he know what that sound meant?

"This is _my _dream, hun. And Adam came after Eve, so again- who are you?"

The boy looked even more confused now. Maddie felt like face palming, but realized that because it was a dream, her palm wouldn't even make contact with her forehead.

"It seems you are terribly mistaken, my lady." He started, taking a few steps closer so that he was at least two feet away.

Another eyebrow raised on Madison's side. My lady? What the heck was going on?

Breathing out in frustration, the fourteen year old shook her head, "This isn't your dream! It's mine and I want to be **alone.**" She reached down to gather the 'snow', "So leave me alone!" And then she threw it at him.

She expected him to waver, like a puddle of water being splashed and the image to be distorted. She expected him to vanish and then leave her in peace. But what happened was entirely different. It hit his face with a small 'thud' and he groaned before wiping it off his clothes and face.

Madison paused. This suddenly didn't feel like a dream anymore.

"Well that wasn't supposed to happen."

And then she woke up.


	3. Chapter 3: I Know I Have

Maddie groaned as a loud banging ensued on the bathroom door.

Lifting her head, she caught sight of the bright blue sky outside the window and almost jumped for joy. Almost. More banging ensued and finally, she unlocked the door to reveal her mother in all her madness.

"What were you doing in here? Were you in there with someone? What was his name? Where is he? Were you in there the entire night? Do you know what time it is? I was worried! I thought you'd ran away and was about to call the cops to file a missing person case!"

Madison simply sighed and shut the door again as her mother continued to rant.

In a few minutes, she would leave to badger someone else but Madison used this time to shower and relieve the tension in her body and remove the knot on her shoulder from sleeping in a bath tub. What was with that strange dream? And who was that boy?

A few hours later, Maddie was happy to be back in her bed and sleeping amongst her several pillows and comfy, cozy blankets. Hopefully, that dream wouldn't reoccur tonight. And if it did, she hoped that annoying boy wouldn't be there.

But, alas, her dreams had a habit of happening more than once. A few moments after she fell asleep, she knew she was back in the same place.

She sighed heavily, The Fates were obviously not on her side.

"You again?" She felt herself tense and rolled her eyes at the voice.

It was him again.

She really didn't want to turn around, she'd discovered that they could be affected in this dream and was afraid he'd pull an arrow on her and shoot her with it. So she took the petty route and walked on, ignoring him.

"My lady? Hello?" He called out to her and much closer than she wanted him to be. He was following her, much to her chagrin.

"Can you not hear me?" He asked, she sped up instinctively and cursed herself when he caught up to her and grabbed her elbow to stop her.

She tugged, but her arm didn't budge from his surprisingly strong grip. Looking at him from the corner of her eye, she saw he was wearing the same thing minus the arrows and bow. He was still, unfortunately, cute.

"Let me go."

"Not until you tell me who you are." He answered calmly. He stood there, acting as though he could stay there for the entire day- err, night. Sighing for the millionth time, Madison nodded.

"Madison Bernard." She held her hand out for him to shake. The boy's mouth tilted upwards at the corner.

"I've never heard of House Bernard before." His grip tightened, "Tell me, are you lying?"

Madison winced, her arm was definitely going to bruise tomorrow.

"What? No!" She objected quickly. "Why would I lie? And what are you talking about? 'House Bernard'? There is no House Bernard at all."

The boy's grip loosened to a point that Madison could yank her arm away from him. She felt lost all of a sudden, like a connection between the two when they touched ignited and was put out. She hadn't even noticed the change. It was like an invisible string held them together even though they weren't touching anymore. He had, judging by his slightly parted mouth and expression of shock.

He cleared his throat, "My name is Brandon Stark."

"Uhm, what?" Maddie blinked, dumbfounded, "Do you actually think I'm going to believe that you're Brandon Stark? As in -HBO-GOT- Brandon Stark?"

Bran didn't know what to make of this strange girl in strange clothes. Her accent was different, her hair, her mannerisms. It didn't look like what Southern Girls would wear. And most certainly not Northern Girls either. It was almost like she came from another world entirely. If only he knew how close to the truth he actually was.

"I am in fact, Brandon Stark. But...I have a question." Bran leaned forward on the balls of his feet. The strange girl, Madison, only came up to his shoulder, " What is an HBO-GOT-?"

Sufficed to say, Maddie fainted.


	4. Chapter 4: You Seem Familiar

When Madison awoke, she expected that she would be back in the real world in her slightly shabby, closet sized room.

She wasn't. In fact, she was in one of those outdated bedrooms with the fire places where she could hear fire crackling.

She felt extremely warm and strangely comfortable. Looking at herself, she saw she was covered in what looked like, animal skins or furs. She winced, she did not want to see or know what animal it came from. Her winced turned grimace once she realized it might have come from a wolf, her favorite animal.

And then she felt his presence again. Turning her head in the direction of the fireplace, he stood by an open window looking out with his back to her. Why was he looking out? Weren't they alone? And why was she still here?

Her breath caught once he turned around,

"You're awake." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

She nodded, sitting up in the strangely comfortable bed.

"How do you know me?"

She paused and looked into the fire instead of his searching brown eyes. They burned in the side of her skull, urging her to turn around and look at him.

How was she? How was she supposed to tell him that she knew him -by name (she wasn't allowed to watch the show, her mother deemed it "not age appropriate" from the first episode)- from a TV show about his and his family's (or lack thereof now) dying off into nothing? So she lied,

"There are...stories written about you and your family's adventures during the war where I am from. It's written in the history books." She couldn't tell him about her world. She wouldn't be able to tell him about the advanced technology that would confuse him.

His face lit up in excitement, "So you know what will happen, then? You know how to win the war?"

She glanced at him briefly before turning away, "Yes...well, n-no -not exactly...?"

His face fell and all hope drained from his being.

"I know some parts, but I can't tell you. It would impact the story wrong and-"

"-We may not win." He finished for her, looking back at the window again.

She nodded, "Yes."

She hated his sadness, she could feel it like her own - weirdly. She didn't want him to feel this way for some reason. It confused her greatly, it was almost like she had a responsibility to him. To make him happy.

But why? She just met him.

"What's it like?" She was caught off guard by his question.

"W-what?" She stuttered out, leaning back on her elbows.

"The future?" He turned back to her then, "That is where you are from, is it not? What is it like?"

She shook her head, "Advanced. Very advanced. It would seem like a new whole world to you. And it's very confusing."

"Could you tell me about it?" He seemed so innocent when he asked her this question, so hopeful that the future was better. If only he knew it wasn't his world's future.

"Well, there's this thing called electricity." She began, tossing the furs from her body and sitting up properly so she was facing him, "It's like lightning being harnessed and put into little places called sockets and plugs." She struggled, how was she supposed to explain this to him when she didn't fully understand it herself? She was already failing science, so how was she to explain this properly?

"When you use those sockets and plugs with other sockets and plugs, you can make light due to the energy released." He seemed very fascinated by her tales, so she continued,

"We don't use fire for light anymore. We use electricity. We also don't cook over fires anymore either..." As she continued, he opened up more to her. He asked questions and seemed to gain back hope, not a lot, but it was some.

She couldn't dare break his heart more. So as she continued, she knew she'd have to find out more about his world. And why she appeared to be in it.

Hours later, she said her first goodbye to Bran- as he told her to call him- and woke up in her own room.

All was peaceful and quiet as the sun peaked through her windows. And then it wasn't when she caught sight of the time on her alarm clock.

"Shit!" She cussed as she threw her blankets off.

She was late for school.

She was so preoccupied with rushing to get ready, that she didn't even notice the hand shaped, purple bruise on her left elbow from where Bran grabbed her.


	5. Chapter 5: Somehow

The next few nights, Madison found herself eager to see Bran in her dreams. It was almost like an escape from her reality. And Bran was her ticket out.

She decided against reading up on his story, more interested in finding out herself through him. She wanted, in what seemed like years, to actually have a friend. She didn't want to be alone anymore. She didn't care if he wasn't really _real_. She just knew she wanted to get to know him more.

"What is this place?" She asked once when they were strolling through her dream castle. She had no idea where the heck she was going but Bran walked ahead with sure steps. Like he knew this place.

"You don't know?" Bran paused for her to catch up. At her pointed look, he carried on with a slight blush dusting his cheeks, "This is Winterfell. My home."

Maddie nearly squealed, she just made him blush. Brandon Stark blushing was the cutest thing she'd ever seen. And he tried to hide it too. She sniggered quietly and he picked up his pace slightly.

"You miss it."

He had told her of his travels with a wildling ("a term for people who live north of the wall") woman named Osha, his brother Rickon, their two direwolves, Summer and Shaggydog and a friendly half-giant named Hodor.

Maddie nearly crapped herself once she found out that giants were real in his world. She had no clue what a direwolf was and told him as such. He had answered in kind, rather patiently.

Bran nodded, seemingly downcast now. Madison ran over to him quickly, placing her hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"You'll see it again, Bran. One day." She reassured him.

Bran sighed and nodded before pointing out several areas and telling several stories of his childhood with his brothers and half-brother/bastard.

Madison felt accomplished, she deflected his sadness.

As he spoke some more of them, Maddie could almost picture the entire castle brimming with people and animals. He spoke so fondly, she almost had a clear image of everyone he described. For the first time, she wished there were other people here, Bran's family, if only to see him smile like when he talked of them.

"There's Robb, the eldest, he has a direwolf too named Grey Wind. In fact, all of us have direwolves. He's supposed to be Lord of Winterfell now that father -" He broke off suddenly, "i-is gone. But since Robb left, the title was passed down to me and now since Theon betrayed him, there are no Stark's in Winterfell."

Maddie felt her heart clench in pain, almost like a phantom pain. She knew Bran was hurting. Suddenly, she wanted to hug him senseless. But she didn't, in fear of coming off as weird or clingy. But he looked like he really needed a hug, so she threw off her worries and embraced him.

At first, he stiffened in surprise and just as she was about to let him go, he embraced her back just as tightly. It was almost like they were holding each other together.

When they pulled back a few moments later, she swore she saw his eyes water a little but pretended not to notice as he discreetly rubbed them.

"Load your bow, Madison." Her instructor, Ms. Higg. She was an old lady, very aged- about 60 years old. She was nice, Maddie tolerated her. Especially since she was the best archery teacher she could afford.

Madison discovered she liked archery when she turned twelve after watching 'Brave'. Yes, the Disney movie with the Irish redheaded princess. Merida inspired Maddie and so she told her mother who later signed her up for lessons. She wasn't a master by any means. God no, she was good though.

"Aim." Her instructor commanded, "Move your right foot forwards an inch or so." She did as she was told.

She briefly wondered if Bran had people teaching him that were as strict as Ms. Higg.

"Loose." She heard, and the string made a dull 'twang' as the arrow was fired. A few seconds after, a 'thunk' was heard as the arrow pierced just outside the center mark. The teenager groaned and let her head fall back. Her eyes closed against the harsh rays of the sun. Why couldn't she get this right?

"You aren't focused," Ms. Higg noted. "You need to make your mind silent, Ms. Bernard. Calm yourself and picture the bow, the arrow, yourself and the target. Only those things matter."

Maddie looked at her in frustration, "I'm trying!"

Her instructor shook her head and sighed. Walking over to her, she took her student's discarded bow and arrow before thrusting them at her.

"Again." She commanded sternly.

Maddie breathed out a puff of air to blow back a strand of her curly hair that fell from her ponytail. Taking a deep breath, she raised her weapon and lined it up to her target. Her mind flicked to Bran for a moment, wondering if he could strike the center.

"And keep your mind off that boy." Maddie's arrow shot off without her true consent and flopped harmlessly on the ground ten feet away.

Madison turned to the old woman," How do you know about-?"

Ms. Higg smirked, "You just told me." Maddie's jaw dropped.

That woman was sneaky.

"And besides, I was young once, you know. I know enough from a girl's expression if she's thinking about a boy she likes." And with that, Ms. Higgs turned to go and collect the arrows around the make shift archery field in the backyard of the woman's cabbin.

Maddie blinked dumbly.

Could she like Bran? She'd only spoken to him about seven times, but even then, you could tell right? She knew a lot about him. Was it acceptable?

But how could she like someone who wasn't even real in her world? She groaned loudly as she got her answer.

Yes, she did like him.

"Again!"


	6. Chapter 6: I Know You

Madison slept a dreamless sleep that night and was frowning the entire day after.

**Meanwhile**

Out in the wild North, Bran woke up to the sound of twigs breaking. His eyes shot open as he looked around for a threat. He saw none and neither Hodor nor Rickon. Osha was a few paces in front of him crouching low beside Summer with a speak in her hand.

"Where's Rickon?" He whisper-yelled in panic.

"Looking for food." She answered. Hearing another sound, she held up her hand to ask for silence.

"What's out there?" He asked anyways, leaning up on his hands.

Instead of answering, Osha quietly raced off into the woods, leaving Bran alone with Summer. He looked around helplessly, wishing he could do something. Summer growled lowly in warning and Bran turned, looking for what he saw.

A figure stepped out from behind a tree, walking slowly but surely over to him. He felt his heart hammering in his chest. He knew he should call for Osha but the figure seemed familiar almost. As the person stepped closer, Bran saw it was the same boy from his dream. The same one that told him that the three eyed Raven was Bran himself. Summer growled once more and the boy stopped.

Suddenly, a spear was pressed against the boy's neck. Bran calmed slightly at the sight of Osha. Summer remained crouching, his snarl filled with a promise of a messy death if he dared to run away or come closer.

"Not another step, boy. Unless you want to drown in your own blood."

Jojen rolled his eyes, "I'm unarmed."

"That was poor planning." Osha noted with a grin.

"My sister carries the weapons." And before Osha could react, a dagger was at her throat. Osha gasped before gripping the spear tighter.

"I'm better with them." The newcomer greeted.

"Drop the spear." The new girl commanded, "Drop it."

Bran's eyes took in the scene before him with fear. He hoped desperately that Osha didn't do something stupid. Slowly, the spear fell from Osha's hands but the knife remained at her throat.

"You kill me and that wolf will tear you to bits." Osha warned.

The girl paused and turned towards the wolf more, using Osha as a human shield.

Jojen walked closer to the still snarling direwolf, "You must be Summer." Bravely, he held out his hand for him to sniff. Summer calmed and relaxed from his crouch, going over to smell the new person. As he smelled Jojen, he deemed him no threat and went over to sniff the girl.

"I'm Jojen Reed and this is my sister, Meera."

Meera looked at him curiously, the knife still held at Osha's throat.

"We've come a long way to find you, Brandon." Jojen stated. Bran peered up at him cautiously, still wary of the new people.

"And we have much farther to go."

A few hours later they were on the move again. Hodor was carrying Bran in his wheelbarrow chair with Jojen walking behind him. Osha and Meera were at the back of the group with Rickon and Shaggydog running beside them. Suddenly, Rickon ran down the hill in a mad rush, Shaggy at his heels.

"Rickon, stay with us!" Osha called after him.

The party paused as the little lord continued to run off.

"It's alright," Bran assured them, "the wolves will protect him." Bran nodded to Summer who ran off after the seven year old.

Jojen watched them for a moment, "You can get inside his head. See through his eyes." Jojen noted.

"Only when I'm asleep." Bran corrected him.

"That's how it begins until you learn to control it. "

Osha glared at him as she heard what Jojen was spewing to Bran.

"You're a warg."

"It's not just wolves." Bran told him, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, "Sometimes there's a-"

"A three eyed Raven?" The blonde finished for him.

"You've seen it?" Bran inquired.

"We saw him together," Jojen reminded him. "You haven't forgotten?"

Bran shook his head, "Does it have anything to do with warging?"

"No. The Raven is something different. Something deeper." Jojen pursed his lips, "The Raven brings the sight."

"Things that haven't happened yet?"

"Or things that happened before you were born, or even things that are happening right now, thousands of miles away." He gazed off unseeing.

"What's he telling him?" Osha asked pointing the spear towards Jojen's back.

"Why don't you ask?" Meera smirked.

Osha shot her a look, "Isn't he ashamed, your brother? Needing you to protect him?"

Meera's smirk grew wider, her curls bouncing slightly, "Where's the shame in that?"

Osha huffed, "Any boy his age who needs his sister to protect him, is gonna find himself needing lots of protecting."

Meera looked at her, her smile softening, "Some people will always need help, that doesn't mean they're not worth helping." Osha knew she wasn't just talking about her brother but Bran as well.

"When my father died, I dreamt it." Bran admitted.

"You didn't dream it, you _saw_ it." Jojen corrected Bran, "So did I."

Bran nodded at him, "You have the sight too?" It was meant as a question but came off as a statement.

Jojen nodded anyway.

"When I-" he paused looking away, "-told my father about your father, for the first time in my life I saw him cry."

"Your father is Hollend Reed." Bran remembered.

"Yeah."

"Saved my father's life during the rebellion." Bran smiled a small smile remembering all the war stories he heard.

"Your father told you about the rebellion?" Jojen's voice cracked but he smiled as well, his eyes crinkling slightly, "Mine never did, but I saw that too."

"What else have you seen?" Bran asked.

"The only one thing that matters; you."

Bran looked off for a moment as his wheelbarrow chair went over a few rocks.

"And what about the girl?" Bran remembered her, "Maddie?"

Jojen looked stumped, "What girl?"

"You don't know?" Against his will, his cheeks took on a slight red hue, "She's also been in my dreams. But only, it doesn't feel like a dream- I can't control it and you can feel things in this dream." He remembered how the snow that didn't feel cold was thrown at his face and how he carried the girl up into the closest bedchamber. No one was in Winterfell when he was there, but he and the girl.

He'd grown fond of her company the past few nights but was disappointed when she didn't show up the last time. He wouldn't say it out loud but when she hugged him, he felt like he never wanted to let go. Strangely, he felt safe with her and wanted to protect her at the same time. It was like a string connected them together, keeping both of them grounded.

Jojen's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "I've never heard of something like that. And I haven't dreamt about this 'Maddie' person either."

Bran was slightly relieved for a moment, he felt relieved that he was the only one who knew her. Felt protective of her. Even if she may not be real. She was strange and Bran dared to say he liked it. She was beautiful too, more beautiful than Jojen's sister (the only other girl he had seen near his age). Whenever he saw her, he'd always wanted to touch her hair and play with it. It looked so inviting and different from the straight hair he knew and her skin was far different than those people in both the North and South. He supposed she looked like she came from Dorne or even Essos in the future.

Either way, she was pretty and Bran dared to say he may even like her, _somewhat_.


	7. Chapter 7: You Know Me

The next night, Maddie felt the same strange connection she had whenever she was in her dream world 'Winterfell'.

She got excited and spun around where she was in the courtyard.

There he was, climbing down some cobblestone wall with expert steps.

"I didn't know you like to climb." She finally spoke as he got down to a slanted roof. She thought he might have been safe and hoped that she didn't frighten him and make him fall.

He did anyways.

He let loose a small yell as he slid down the snow covered roof and dropped down the six foot drop to the ground, landing -thank fully- onto a large pile of snow.

Maddie rushed over to him as he caught his breath.

"Sorry, Bran!"

He huffed slightly as he sat up with her help, "It's okay. Just try not to do that often, please."

Madison nodded sheepishly before offering her hand. He looked at it before taking it and getting himself up from the ground.

"Where were you yesterday?" He asked brushing himself off.

"I could ask you the same question." Maddie pointed out as they began walking in a random direction.

"Well, -" he began but was cut off as Maddie caught sight of circular targets with black and red paint making rings on the wood.

"You have an archery range?"

Bran blinked and looked at her, "Yes. Do you know how to shoot?"

Maddie laughed and nodded before running off to get a closer look.

Bran smiled slightly as he followed her, her happiness was infectious.

She was tracing a bow, his bow when he caught up to her.

"Do you want to have a go?"

She jumped but nodded, taking up the bow and reaching for some arrows that were lodged in the ground.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her bow nocked with the arrow and let it out.

After making sure her stance was correct, she drew the string back until her fingers grazed her cheek, relaxed her bow arm some and then let the arrow fly.

Surprisingly, it hit dead centre and she laughed. Bran's mouth dropped open but snapped shut when she turned to look at him.

Why couldn't he do that?

Shaking his head, he reached for another nearby bow and nocked an arrow. Trying to copy her stance, and Robb's instructions, he breathed in deeply before firing.

He could see her watching him with a small smile at the corner of his eye and silently prayed to one of the seven gods watching over him to help him impress this pretty girl.

Before he could let the arrow loose, Maddie had come over and gently pushed down on the inside of his elbow to make it bend slightly. Seeing him watching her, she turned his head towards the target as she blushed slightly and nodded for him to shoot.

He let the arrow fly and much to his surprise, it hit the centre. He spun to face her suddenly and gave her a bright smile,

"Thank you."

Maddie blushed again but nodded brushing a strand of brown, curly hair away from her face.

Bran frowned suddenly, "How do I know you're not just in my head?"

Maddie took a step back, taken aback by his question and slightly offended.

"I-i don't know how to prove it to you. I just know that you appeared in my dream and I appeared in yours."

Bran nodded briefly before turning to put down the bow. Maddie felt out of place then, as if she wasn't welcome anymore and decided to leave.

"I'll just go, then." Maddie suggested. Bran didn't give any indication of whether or not he heard her, so she spun around and ran back the way she came, tears gathering in her eyes for for some reason.

"Maddie wait!" He called out to her but she was already gone, as if she dissapeared into thin air.

Just as suddenly, he felt like the wind was just kicked out of him and suddenly he was back in camp, sitting up drenched in sweat.

Jojen sat across from his spot on the other side of the fire, watching him curiously.

"Did you dream about her again?"

Bran nodded, "Why do you suppose you can't see her?"

Jojen looked at the flames, " I keep thinking that maybe she just isn't here. Not in this world, I mean." He added on after seeing Bran shake his head.

"She told me that I'm in her dream just as much as she's in mine. That she knows our future and she's from the future too."

Jojen sighed, "Maybe she is and because she isn't born yet I can't see her..?"

"But how can I?"

They were both stumped at that question.

It didn't make sense to him. Did she lie? She must've if what Jojen was saying is true.

He sighed, frustrated and laid back down to get more sleep as both his dreams tonight garnered questions.

He'd just have to wait until tomorrow night to get answers from her. 


	8. Chapter 8: How Can I Not?

Maddie had a terrible day at school. The bullies were back at it again with the constant teasing and hair pulling as childish as it sounded. But it was life, her life. And whether or not she wanted it, she got it. Once more she craved isolation. The cool feeling of being alone in a room, with no obligations, no responsibilities, no tedious chores and no bullies.

"Freak!" They called out to her. Other students that walked passed in the hallway either stared or snickered at her expense. They always did, nobody ever stood up and said 'stop' or went to report it. No, it was up to her to put up with the continuous torment. And at times like these, Maddie wondered what life would have been like if she had been born in a different time- to different parents. Would it still have been the same?

"Loser!" One shoved her into the wall of grey lockers.

Straightening, she fixed her ruffled clothes and walked on as they continued to jeer foul things in her direction. But why? What had she done to deserve such treatment? Such agony?

She should be used to this by now. After all, it had been a year since she graduated middle school. Several teachers called upon her when they thought she wasn't paying attention to the lesson and made her go to the front of the class to answer a question on the board while also getting pelted with paper balls. The supposed 'adults' did nothing to the students, merely offering them a tired glare that did nothing to stop the onslaught of paper.

But that wasn't why she had a horrible day. It was because she caught her long time bully, Simon York, bragging to his friends about his plans to corner Madison after school to try and - in his words- fuck her behind the bleachers until she was sore. News travelled fast at her school and soon enough- the entire school knew of what he was planning. And yet, with what could be considered rape (because she sure as hell wasn't going to give it up willingly), no one stepped up and said anything to anyone or called a teacher to have her escorted home. No one filled a report to the office so that they could stop her bullies. She would make sure she left school early that day, with or without her mother waiting for her in the parking lot.

It sucked; her life.

She had to wonder what she had to live for in that moment. It didn't make sense to her. The only place she could really be herself was in her dreams or in the brief breaks Ms. Higg gave her on Saturdays. She couldn't even be herself at home as all her mother did was blab her ear off and expect her to agree to everything she said, whether or not she wanted to.

The school bell rang then, signaling the end of school. Maddie was out of her seat before anyone else was and out the school doors before anyone could say 'Game Of Thrones'. She decided that evening when she got home, that she would read up on the show- not wanting to waste time and energy sneaking to watch the seven seasons of the show.

She wondered briefly if Bran died in the series. She felt horrified by the thought. If she had the power, she definitely would change it. That invisible string stretched limitlessly, no matter how far she was or pulled away it would always hang on now that she formed a friendship with Bran.

She sighed as she thought of the boy who she liked. Why couldn't life be more simple?

**Meanwhile**

Osha smirked as she watched Meera struggle to take the skin off the dead rabbit, before doing one of her own much faster.

"That's not how you skin a rabbit." She piped up finally, sounding very smug.

"I know how to skin a rabbit." Meera retorted as she twisted the head of the dead hare. The older woman infuriated her beyond her limits. She guessed that with Osha being from the North of the Wall made her that way- oh so smug and experienced. She bet she thought she knew everything.

"Not by the looks of it." Osha stabbed her knife into the ground as she grabbed her second rabbit.

Bran fiddled with some sticks and spare string as he sat up by the tree. He could feel the tension rising in the camp, as it had been for few days already what with Jojen and Meera joining their journey to nowhere.

Meera watched with frustration as Osha skinned yet _another _rabbit. Like really, how was Oha able to be better at skinning dead things than her? She had been skinning rabbits since she was four!

"When you grow up North of the Wall, you learn the proper way to handle game." The wildling woman bragged, plopping another bunny on a stick over the fire.

Bran paused as he listened to them, ready to step in at any moment. He was very tired of their constant bickering and arguments. But why did they hold such contempt for one another? He supposed it was the biased view of a Northerner to a wildling. Believing that the wild people didn't belong beyond the wall.

"I didn't see any game before I got here."

"If I had a bow, I could have shot a dozen rabbits." The wildling woman pointed out, going for another. Gods, she'd be glad to tear the girl a new one. All she had to do was wait- all she wanted was a reason to strike her down and teach her a lesson on manners- which obviously her mother had not taught her.

"Well I made this by myself. Guess you don't learn that North of the wall." Meera responded quietly, but still, she struggled with her first hare.

Osha scoffed, pausing in her task, "You learn how to use your fists, love."

Meera looked at her with mock surprise, "Oh! You're going to punch the rabbits to death?"

"I had someone else in mind." Osha broke the neck off the poor creature, her eyes on the younger girl. It wouldn't take a blind man to realize that the two girls were seconds away from punching the living daylights out of the other.

"Well, someone else is sitting right here." Meera hissed, her lips pressed tightly together in obvious disgust.

"You're _both _very good at skinning rabbits." Bran interrupted. He desperately wished the two would reconcile their differences and move on. He had a feeling that they'd be together for a long time and it would do no good at all if everyone was constantly fighting each other for no reason.

"Some of us, are just a little better." Osha taunted.

"Well some of us would say thank you when someone else hunts down their breakfast for them." Meera paused, "Or don't they teach you how to say '_thank you_', North of the wall?"

"You've got a big mouth girl." The wildling noted as she got to her feet, "And too many teeth."

Meera followed suit, a few inches shorter than Osha. The older woman had the height advantage but that didn't mean she was intimidated. No, far from it- she didn't care for her size because she knew that she was quick and light on her feet in a fight.

"Stop it!" Bran yelled and poor Hodor woke up with a start, confused at all the loud noises and sounds of yelling,

"Hodor."

"You've been fighting since you met, just stop it!" The crippled boy continued, undeterred from waking the once resting giant.

Meera risked a glance at him, slightly apologetic but flashed her eyes back to Osha just as quickly- lest she use it as an opportunity to strike.

Osha frowned, "Lady Reed here has got a stick so far up her ass, it's a wonder her feet touch the ground."

"You've been nasty to her everyday," the little lord exclaimed.. "Of course she's nasty back!"

"Me? It's my fault?" Osha looked over at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe her ears. The boy was going to take the stranger girl's side even after all that she'd done for them. She felt betrayed.

"First time I met her, she put a knife to my throat." Meera rolled her eyes at the malice in the woman's voice. The wildling was being overdramatic as the only reason she had held a knife at her throat was because she was going to strike down her brother with a spear!

"First time I met you, you held a knife at me." Bran replied with equal malice.

Osha looked down in shame as she realized the error in her ways. The little lord was right, she had done that. And his family had killed her accomplices and had spared her and chained her legs.

Bran shook his head, "We _can't_ fight each other or we'll never make it to the wall." And he was right. They wouldn't survive for very long if they didn't settle the fire blazing between the two.

The campfire crackled from the middle of camp, breaking the momentary silence.

"I want you both to make peace," Bran instructed firmly. He couldn't take their arguing anymore if he had to sit here and suffer through it because if his damned legs! And hell if he was going to sit down and watch as they fought one another tooth and nail. Everyone was already on edge as is with the decreasing supply of food and warmth the further North they got.

Osha finally sat down as she continued to skin the left over rabbits, her rage cooled for now.

Meera looked at her once more, before admitting quietly "Your way of skinning rabbits is quicker than mine."

"I said so didn't I?" Osha asked rhetorically.

"Osha!" Bran hissed at the wildling.

"…..You're a good little hunter."

"_Thank you_." Meera said, "See? Not so hard is it? 'Thank you'."

Osha paused with sharpening her spear, "Don't push me."

Meera watched her with contempt for a moment before she heard gasping. She spun around and rushed over to Jojen's side as he seized. She fussed over him as Rickon finally woke up from his nap, Hodor nervously shifting on his cot.

"I'm right here with you." She gave him a belt to bite so that he didn't bite off his tongue or choke on it. Bran watched the happenings with wide eyes, unable to comprehend what was going on.

"What's happening?" Rickon asked obliviously. The poor boy was confused, rubbing his eyes as he came to. Why was Jojen jerking in that weird way?

"I'm right here with you." Meera repeated soothingly into her brother's ear, rocking him gently. How she wished her brother didn't have to go through this. She'd take it away if she could, her brother didn't deserve the agony he went through when he had a vision. She remembered the first time he had one- she had been with him in his room as they played with the tiny figurines their father brought back with him from the South- Jojen was around twelve name days then, his dirt blonde hair shining in the afternoon sun that streamed through the window. She remembered how he had frozen dead before he began twitching on the floor after collapsing in a heap of lanky limbs. She remembered her father's face as he ran into the room after she yelled for him in fright. And she could never forget the words Jojen cried when he came back to reality,

"_Ned Stark is dead! Joffrey Baratheon killed him, father!"_

"What's wrong with him?" Rickon asked again as Jojen's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he shook uncontrollably.

Meera shook her head sadly, unable to explain to them why it was happening, " The visions take their toll." And indeed they did- Jojen had never been so frail and sickly before the green dreams and now they had taken over, she could barely recognize the shell of her brother.

Bran felt himself shudder, "He's having one now?"

Meera nodded, looking up at the crippled boy as Jojen finally calmed.

Osha watched the two with knowing eyes. She knew they'd be trouble.

Slowly, Jojen sat up, "I saw Jon Snow."

"You saw him?" Bran inquired leaning up more and smiling with excitement. He was glad his brother was alive. "At Castle Black?" Was his brother safe? Oh, he couldn't believe it! Jon was alive!

Jojen shook his head solemly, "He was on the wrong side of The Wall and surrounded by enemies."

Bran pursed his lips as the smile fell. Maybe he spoke too soon.


	9. Chapter 9: You Again

Maddie was horrified. She had taken her own advice and read up on the series and the season by season plot and she had been horrified by the amount of the betrayals and murders committed by people who the Stark's had trusted- even up to this point. And they would never know what had truly caused their deaths.

She had started off with Season One like any sensible person and it had _dragged_ on. It wasn't until Season Two that the show finally had picked up and her interest had been captured once more. And with a shock in Season Three, she had remembered the reason she had began reading the plot in the first place. These were real people! Or, at least as real as the boy in her dreams. She had to warn him in any way she could. Imagine if she had failed him and didn't warn him at all due to the false belief of his existence? She'd have voluntarily sent him and his family to death!

Ned Stark, dead.

Robb Stark, dead.

Catelyn Stark, dead.

Sansa was alive as was Arya.

Bran was alive in the last season that had aired- Season 7. But Rickon. So young and death had taken him too early.

Doing something stupid, she looked for his death scene online. It happened in season six, in Battle of the Bastards. Ramsay Bolton killed him. He'd let Rickon loose before firing after him with arrows. And poor, oblivious Rickon ran - unknowing that he was breathing his last breaths.

She would try to save him, at least- he was the immediate concern from what she could tell. From Bran and her's last conversation, Osha and Meera were arguing consistently.

Hodor died too. And Jojen and Summer and Shaggydog.

Maddie dropped her head in her hands. She felt defeated, how could she save all of them? How could she warn Robb that he couldn't trust even his closest companions? How could she warn Jon Snow of the impending doom of the Wildlings and his new lover?

Looking up pictures of Bran Stark was one of the more embarrassing things she'd done in her life time. Judging by some of the older pictures, Bran was fourteen in season 3, which meant that she was speaking to him from in Season 3. She hoped she was right.

According to Wiki, Bran split the group in episode 8. From his last tale, she could guess that it was episode 7 now. Which meant she only had one night- tonight- to warn Bran and give him the message. And that was if Bran was there tonight.

She hoped and prayed he would be. It was a desperate necessity at this point.

Struggling with the fabric of the tent, she watched suspiciously as Bran, Jojen and Meera spoke huddled together-talking about Seers and Green-dreams.

"What's he going on about?" Osha murmured, "And how come he always gets to sit and chat while we do all the work?"

She got up from her position to look at Hodor, as if expecting an answer. The simple half-giant paused his chore to look at her with a questioning stare,

"Hodor," He said simply.

Osha walked away after an exasperated sigh, "What are you telling him?"

"It's alright, Osha." Bran tried to calm her, sensing the tensions rising once more. He wondered briefly if there was ever going to be a day when there was no arguments between the Wildlings and the Reeds.

"It's not alright," She rebutted then turned to Jojen, "You think I can't hear you every day? Filling his head with black magic. Talking about visions and three eyed ravens and worse ..?" She spat.

"Leave him alone." Meera rolled her eyes again, she was so tired of the Wildling woman's confrontations. She hated to say it, but she grew used to them now and expected them. And instead of taking the bait and rising to the task of retorting- Meera refused to entertain the woman entirely.

"He can speak for himself," The Wildling snapped irritably.

"I don't fill his head with anything," Jojen remarked, squinting because of the sun in his eye.

"So what do you talk about?" Osha inquired with a mocking tone, her hands on her hips.

"What's happening to him and what that means."

"Go on then, tell us what it means." The wildling woman crossed her arms over her chest.

"It's not like that," Jojen revealed in an a matter of fact tone, "I wish I could tell him all the answers, it would be much easier."

"I don't want you talking to him anymore-," Osha concluded, turning to walk away from the trio. "-Until we get to your brother at Castle Black."

Bran watched her with furrowed brows. Why couldn't she trust them? What was so wrong with Jojen and he talking about what he was going through? All the Reed boy had been was a big help in understanding everything.

"We're not going to Castle Black," Jojen protested, knowing that this would cause her to react negatively. Osha paused and whirled to face the Reed boy,

"What did you say?"

"I told you already, Jon Snow isn't there. Bran needs to find The Raven beyond The Wall-"

Osha cut him off before he could complete his sentence. She was very tired of the constant ordering of this stupid little Green Seer Reed boy. Who was he to tell her what to do? She was their guardian at present.

"Oh no, I'm not going back there!" Osha pointed to Bran, "Your brother is at Castle Black- that's where we're going." Osha crouched in front of him when Bran didn't meet her eyes nor acknowledge her statement. Like hell was she going to go back to the place she had done so much to escape from. The things she'd done. She shuddered to think of it now, the blood she had on her hands.

"Look at me," she instructed sternly.

Reluctantly, Bran turned to her, "The Raven has been coming to me ever since I fell from that tower. He wants me to find him." Osha didn't look convinced, so he continued, "I don't have my legs anymore, _this_ is what I have now."

The woman grabbed his hand to beg him not to go through with this, "You have a family. You need to go back to Castle Black so you can get back to them- Where you belong." she persuaded but the young lord was not to be deterred.

"What if I belong in the North?" Bran retorted as he gave her a pointed look, "What if I fell from that tower for a reason?"

Osha glanced at Jojen then, her eyes widened, "is that what he's telling you? That it's _all for a reason_?" Oh, she was going to tear him a new one. How dare he fill Bran's head with utter rubbish?

"All these bad things happen because the God's have big plans for you?" Osha mocked.

"I wish it were true, little lord. But the God's wouldn't spare a Raven's cold shit for you, or me, or anyone," she stressed, trying to get through to the young boy. After all, they hadn't seen what she'd seen. What she had to do to survive…..

"You don't understand. You don't know." The fourteen year old boy took back his hand.

"_You_ don't know!" Osha exclaimed frantically. She pointed at them all, "_None of you know_! None of you have been up there!" Gods, her eyes began to water, thinking of her lover. How much she missed him. Missed having him inside her, beside her, with her- alive! A lump got stuck in her throat as Osha remembered her time before she came south of The Wall.

"I had a man once," she admitted quietly.

"A good man. Bruni, his name was. I was his and he was mine. But one night Bruni disappeared, people said he left me but I _knew_ him. He'd _never_ leave me, not for long and he would come back. And he did," Osha paused to sit down.

"He came in through the back of the hut. Only it wasn't Bruni, not really. His skin was pale- like a dead man's and his eyes bluer than clear sky. He came at me, grabbed me by the neck and squeezed. So hard, I could _feel _the life slipping out of me. I don't know how I got the knife, but when I did, I stuck it deep into his heart. And he hardly seemed to notice. I had to burn our hut down with him inside."

Osha breathed out heavily, "I didn't ask the Gods what it meant. I didn't need to, I already knew. That the North was no place for men to be. Not anymore."

Brushing away some tears, she stood up, "I promised your Maester I would get you to Castle Black and no further." And with that she walked off to gather more firewood, leaving her revelation to simmer between the children.


	10. Chapter 10: I can't feel you

**A/N: So um, hi. I'm back. **

**Here's the new chapter! *gives angry and impatient readers the new chapter before running away***

"Are you sure you don't want a ride, Maddie?" Ms. Higg offered as she looked out at the darkening sky. As the year came to a close- the sun had started setting a lot earlier than before. And with the sun setting earlier, it gave people who had no interest in doing good- plenty more time to do bad deeds. And as a result, the old woman had a terrible feeling about letting her apprentice go off on her own. All sorts of terrible things happening to this little girl, made her stomach clench up in discomfort.

Maddie held in an eye roll and strapped her bow onto her body. Her quiver of arrows jostled from its place on her leg, the arrows being held down securely by an old leather clip. She had a feeling if she didn't leave now, Ms. Higg would have definitely plucked her from her spot and thrown her into the back of her old Mercedes while ranting about the dangers of the wild...Suffice to say, it was something she could definitely do without.

Of course, they wouldn't have been having this conversation if Maddie's mother hadn't called last minute to let her daughter know that she wouldn't be able to pick her up. She had sighed, knowing that her mother was most definitely getting involved with another random man instead of her regular excuse, 'getting food'. Ms. Higg also knew what this meant, and it also contributed to her hesitation of letting her favorite student go off on her own. At least if she had dropped Maddie off, she would have stopped to get her some food to ensure that she did in fact eat and wasn't going to go hungry while her mother was off humping like a jackrabbit.

But Madison didn't mind walking, honestly. It just meant more isolation, more time to think about what she could do to warn Bran about Rickon and Osha and The Umbers' betrayal. Thoughts had swarmed in her head all day and throughout her training, clouding her mind and distorting her focus. Thankfully, Ms. Higg had been merciful enough to ignore her lack of focus and understood that her mind was on something very important and needed most - if not all her attention.

"It's fine, Ms. Higg." She assured the old lady. Ms. Higg didn't look convinced, so she added, "And if I wasn't going to be, I have this." She tugged on her bow. And she was right, nobody in their right mind would come at an armed woman with a bow and arrows. Unless that is, they were stupid.

Ms. Higg shook her head doubtful, "Alright, but that's for long range. Show me your fists."

At that, Maddie raised her fists in a fighting stance she saw all the fighters on TV use, making sure that her thumb was on the outside- not the inside. She'd learned a long time ago that if your thumb was on the inside of your fist, that would be her first finger to break. It was ridiculous how easy it was to break, actually. Way easier to break than even her pinky finger.

"Atta girl." The old woman praised and finally nodded her along. If she was going to let her student walk home, it was better that she left as early as possible- at least, while the sun was still up for however much longer.

Maddie sighed in relief before leaving Ms. Higg's yard through the tiny gate. And thank goodness too. Her teacher's doubt was starting to grow distrust and discomfort within her own being. She couldn't say why, but she too had an off feeling. Like something was going to happen and it would definitely shake her.

Bran was dreaming again, in the same place he met Maddie all those months ago. He couldn't feel her presence like before but something in his gut told him to wait. And wait he did.

Madison was stupid. Unbelievably so. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon now, coating the road and looming pine trees in darkness. No lights were on in any of the houses she passed by, it was as though the neighborhood was abandoned. But Madison knew that it wasn't- just up until yesterday the neighbourhood was teeming with life. Kids running around and playing soccer in the street, as their parents sat and watched with their eyes peeled. But now it was quiet. Almost too quiet.

She _had_ wanted silence, but this was a bit much. It was almost eerie. As though there was this unnerving presence or shadow cast over the area and it had obviously been enough to scare away nearly everyone. Even the homeless man on the corner with the sign was missing.

Seeing the half-way mark of an old park that Madison knew was a shortcut to her house, she decided to go through instead of around. What a mistake she made.

The rusty gate hinges creaked loudly as she opened it, shutting it firmly behind her. Her neck hairs raised as the prickling sensation of someone watching her became apparent. A twig snapped to her left and she paused, cautious. For all she knew, it was probably a squirrel or one of the many hares that populated the park. Despite this assumption, the sounds of nature were quiet. It was deafening.

Deciding not to stick around for whatever it was to find her, she walked on with a slightly faster pace, her hands clenched around the riser, careful to keep it from slapping her leg too much.

Low whistling caught her ears and she stopped again as Madison caught sight of two figures walking towards her at a leisurely walk to her left. Her chest clenched in panic and she gripped her bow harder. A pressure began to build in her eyes as she recognized them instantly. Her eyes shot back and forth, thoughts running on going back the way she came and continuing forward. Would they come for her? Were they here for her? What were they doing in the park this late?

"Hey, look who it is boys!" She heard a voice behind her call, she didn't turn around to see who it was nor to find out who the voice was calling to. She knew already, it was Simon, Simon York and he was talking to her. Her spine sat ramrod straight, her entire body tensing as the voice came closer.

Ted Miller and Borg Lambert, the two boys grinned simultaneously as the leader of their little group appeared from his position behind the big willow tree. He had been lying in wait. She felt herself begin to tremble as she realized what this meant. They were here for her.

She gasped, her breath leaving her in short pants as she tried to calm herself before she started hyperventilating. She would be of no use to herself if she wasn't breathing properly. Rational Thoughts = Rational Decisions, right?

Yes, it did.

What about her bow? Could she shoot them? No, that would be a very bad idea. It was three versus one- and by the time she would draw an arrow and load it, the other two buffoons would have her surrounded and cornered. She would be too slow to stop it.

Discreetly looking around at an easy escape, she realized the only place she could go was through the forest. Hopefully, she would lose them in there and come out to the road that she knew was at the end of the tree line. And Hopefully, the road wouldn't be as empty as the neighbourhood she passed previously was. At least then, she could signal someone and again, hopefully stop.

Ted and Borg were slowly blocking off both her front and left while Simon blocked her rear and the gate to the park.

"What's up, _freak_?" Simon called out to her again. His friends laughed and leered at her, their eyes roaming all over her body. And despite the amount of layers she was wearing, she craved a jacket to bundle up in, if even to feel safe. She knew she was anything but in that moment. Maddie closed her eyes and counted to three as she saved up her oxygen. It was going to be a long, hard run if she made it that far. Opening her eyes, she turned to her right and sprinted off into the forest, hearing laughs and curse words following her.

Why were they bothering her? She had done absolutely nothing to these three seniors, so why were they targeting her? She wanted to cry. Was this how she ended? Before she got to tell Bran the truth and warn him about Rickon. But she didn't and carried on running, her determination pushing her legs faster. Her blood pumped furiously in her ears as the adrenaline began to build.

Low hanging branches ripped and tore at her clothing, causing little scrapes and cuts all along her body. She hissed in pain, hugging her aching arm to her body as she sprinted.

"Where are you going, _Maddie_? I thought you had a little crush on me?" Simon taunted her at least forty feet behind her needed to keep that space. And she didn't even know where the other two were, either.

And in truth, she _had_ had a crush on him. All throughout middle school Simon York had been the one her eye was on. He had been cute then, the perfect gentleman until Borg and Ted recruited him. Then he changed and became something ugly- someone absolutely disgusting. And slowly but surely, her crush dwindled and died out like a match doused in water. Yet somehow, despite her lack of friends- someone had figured it out and told him.

Kicking her legs to go faster, she tripped and stumbled, rolling down a small hill. Madison yelped as she rolled over sharp rocks and roots before reaching the bottom. Hysterical laughter sounded through the forest, before she got back up and started running again. Her legs pushed and pushed her farther, but they began to ache terribly. She knew she would have to stop soon.

She cried out, "Help!" Help from anybody at all,

"Somebody, please!"

"Leave me alone!" She called over her shoulder, running like her life depended on it.

"Why? Is little Madison scared?" They were closer now, and she yelled out in frustration. She swore she felt one of their breathing on the back of her neck and she ducked reflexively. A pale white hand was in the place her head was but she carried on running at full speed, no matter how much her body ached and yelled at her to stop. She saw the tree line coming up and nearly cried with relief.

And then finally, she broke it and ran onto the road.

Straight in the path of the oncoming timber truck.

She hadn't seen it.

All she heard was a loud horn before her vision turned black. Her body flew twenty feet ahead on the road and the driver was already pulling the brakes hoping to save her. They didn't work. The truck bumped over her already broken body, mauling it and crushing it to an unrecognizable heap of blood, skin and bones. Blood stuck to the truck like splatters of rain water, as the two back wheels rolled over what was left of her body. The driver was horrified as he felt this and the truck finally came to a stop.

It had all happened so fast.

Three pale, white faces stood at the tree line Maddie had just burst out from, shocked into silence because of what they witnessed. What they were responsible for. She was gone.

Hours later, her mother and Ms. Higg would be trying to reach her broken cell-phone in her back later, her body would finally be identified as Madison Bernard, the fourteen year old girl who died before she could truly live because of some boys who "wanted to scare her".

Weeks later, Ted would finally confess and tell the authorities who was involved. Her mother would press charges, Ms. Higg would have a heart attack and her funeral would be held. Months later, her mother and family would still be grieving and regretting not giving that little girl the love she truly deserved. The three boys would still need counseling and Simon would be sent to a correction centre for troubled teen boys.

But as Madison blacked out from the impact of the truck hitting her, she would wake up in her dream world.

Bran had no idea what had happened to Maddie when she showed up. She was weak, covered in blood from head to toe and bruises everywhere. Her arm was turned at an awkward angle but she was alive, however close she looked and seemed to death. His chest ached as he saw her. Pain and concern for her blossomed as his eyes glazed over with tears

Maddie screamed out as she came to, her image flickering and blurring.

"Maddie?" Bran rushed over to her, "Maddie!" he called again when she didn't respond to his voice. What was wrong? What had happened to her? What could have broken her in such a way?

Bran's knees gave up as he reached her mangled body, his hands grabbing her and pulling her closer, "Madison?" His voice cracked with emotion.

She moaned in panic, weakly wriggling herself away from him.

"It's me, Bran!"

And finally she stopped struggling, simply crying out in relief. Her legs kicked again as she writhed in pain. She was safe. Why was she here? Why was she alive? In pain?

"What happened?" Bran questioned her in a panic, tears leaking out from his eyes. Maddie shook her head, her knees flashing as the pain became intense. She couldn't feel her arms. Were her eyes opened? She couldn't see anything!

"B-bran?" She coughed out. Bran panicked as he saw blood on her lips.

"Yes, yes it's me!" He answered. His chest flared in pain and he gasped from the swell of began building in his abdomen and a numbness crawled up his arms. With a shock, he realized it was her pain he was experiencing.

"I can't feel my arms." She cried. Tears welled up in his eyes as he watched with a hopeless look on his face. She was dying. And there wasn't anything he could do.

Her eyes were swollen shut but she managed to crack them open a bit. She took one last look at Bran as her diaphragm swelled one last time. She took in a rattling breath, her chest aching with the effort it took to do so.

"R-rickon and Os-os-osha." She spit out, "On-t go to them. Umbers. N-NO. Te-ell Rick- on not to ru-un st-traight when t-t-t- the tim-e c-omes." She got out before the pain she felt in her head made her vision go black.

She was gone. Bran cried as he saw blood coming out of her eyes and nose. Her body went suspiciously slack and her eyes wide, unseeing. Bran sobbed, as he held her body. Her broken body. How could he recover from this? Everyone was gone, his mother, his father, his sisters and his brothers had all left him. And now Madison was gone. His heart ached as her body trembled in his hold. He only heard part of what she said but he would cherish it. He would send his brother and Osha to the Umbers. And give him her message. The invisible string snapped and suddenly Bran wasn't in the snowy courtyard of his dreamworld anymore. He was thrust out and in pain in the real world. His hand clawed at his chest as he gasped and struggled to take in vaguely remembered seeing Jojen, Osha and Rickon's face above his own before he blacked out.

His one thought being 'She's gone' before he knew no more.


End file.
